1,721,048 research outputs found
Comparative analysis of stiffness of lingual appliances: An in vitro study
No full textObjective: To analyze and compare the stiffness of different lingual appliances with different archwires. Material and Methods: The three-point bending test was used to analyze the stiffness of the lingual archwires for the different lingual systems: eBrace, Harmony, Incognito, and STb. The deflection load curve of each archwire was obtained to evaluate how the section, the material and the manufacturer affect the elasticity and stiffness characteristics of the wires. The comparison of the stiffness between different systems was carried out through a factor variance analysis with three factors (manufacturer, cross-section, and material), followed by the post-hoc Tuckey test. Results: An increase in the system's rigidity was reported as the wire section increases, regardless of the manufacturer. The stainless steel archwires have ever higher stiffness values than NiTi and TMA. The STb wires of CuNiTi material, by virtue of the characteristics of the thermal wires, have flatter and lower load-deflection curves than the NiTi wires of other manufacturers. Conclusion: Archwires section and material showed a significant influence on the stiffness of the lingual systems. Archwires of the same section and material but different manufacturers show different load-deflection curves of stiffness
Evolving concepts in chronic constipation in Europe and elsewhere: not worlds apart
No full textChronic constipation (CC) is widely prevalent in the
Western world, with a significant negative impact on
quality of life, yet new and effective pharmacological
and non-pharmacological treatment options have only
recently emerged. The article by Tack and colleagues
in the current issue of NGM is timely with the recent
introduction of the serotonin type 4 receptor agonist
prucalopride in Europe and wider acceptance of anorectal
biofeedback for patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia.
This Editorial (i) highlights the importance
of identifying patients with pelvic floor dysfunction
who are candidates for pelvic floor retraining programs
and (ii) discusses the potential limitations of the
5-HT4 agonist, prucalopride, as an early option in the
treatment algorithm for CC
THERE: Toward an easy and reliable tool for automatic cephalometric analysis
No full textBackground: Cephalometric analysis in orthodontics is a meticulous process requiring high precision in identifying anatomical landmarks on lateral cephalometric radiographs. Manual analysis by clinicians remains the standard, as even slight deviations in landmark placement can lead to incorrect diagnoses. Despite advancements in AI, automatically localizing these landmarks remains challenging, with few systems meeting the exacting standards of European orthodontic practice. Methods: We developed THERETransKey, a model designed for the automatic and accurate localization of anatomical landmarks in cephalometric analysis. To evaluate its practical utility, we integrated the model into THERE (auTomatic HElpeR for cEphalometry), an open-access, user-friendly AI-based tool for cephalometric tracing. Unique in its strict adherence to the guidelines of the European Board of Orthodontics, THERE provides immediate online access and continuously collects user data to improve its performance. The tool has been validated by users with different levels of experience in Orthodontics using a PSSUQ-based questionnaire. Results: THERETransKey has shown enhanced accuracy with respect the previous models underlying THERE, as confirmed by its integration into daily clinical workflows at the University of Ferrara. Moreover, user feedback collected through the administered questionnaire confirms THERE's improved usability. Finally, its regular use enables the generation of a clinician-validated dataset during everyday practice. Conclusions: By effectively supporting clinicians, THERE not only enhances cephalometric analysis but also contributes to building a robust dataset for future research. This initiative promotes a more generalized approach to automatic landmark detection across diverse radiographic equipment
Strategie retoriche e finalità educative nelle novelle di Francesco Albergati Capacelli
No full textL'articolo prende in esame l'esiguo corpus di novelle albergatiane presenti nelle Novelle venticinque, silloge allestita insieme all'abate Gianfrancesco Altanesi (1779), mostrandone il chiaro intento edificante, che rielabora non a caso spunti dell'oratoria controriformistica. Si tratta di un tassello importante dell'attività di Albergati, poco studiato come prosatore, che peraltro, proprio all'altezza degli anni in cui compose queste novelle, conobbe un ripiegamento moralistico e in parte religioso
In vitro study of tooth surfaces after interproximal enamel reduction: Extraoral scanner and SEM analysis
No full textObjective: To perform a morphological evaluation concerning the extent of interproximal enamel reduction (IPR) with different manual instruments in different types of teeth and a qualitative analysis of enamel surface characteristics at the contact point before and after IPR. Material and Methods: 40 freshly extracted, caries-free, and intact human teeth were used for the study (20 bicuspids and 20 incisors) and performed IPR just on the mesial surface. The morphological variation of contact point was evaluated by superimposed the stl file, obtained thanks to an extraoral scanner, at T0 and T1 for each tooth. Two types of strip were used, Intensiv Manual Ortho Strips Coarse/Medium and Steelcarbo Horico Strips. Teeth were then cut lengthwise, removed the most apical root portion and the mesial and distal halves were gilded and observed at different magnifications. Results: The morphological variation following stripping mainly depends on the extent of the stripping, while the diameter, the type of strip and the shape of the tooth itself do not appear to be relevant. The 500X and 1500X magnifications allowed to appreciate better the characteristics of the surface of the stripped enamel and the differences with the intact enamel. All teeth treated, independently from the kind of strip used, shows deep marks and grooves in the direction of stripping. In both cases, the enamel appears significantly damaged at great magnifications. Conclusion: Stripping always and inevitably leads to a change in the shape of the contact point and is directly correlated to the amount of stripping performed. The use of polishing after the removal of enamel interproximal is necessary in all cases
Direct and indirect bonding techniques: A systematic review
No full textObjective: To assess the scientific evidence on direct and indirect bonding techniques to analyse the differences related to treatment time, number of appointments and number of bracket detachments. Material and Methods: The MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases were searched through to March 2021. Reference lists from the retrieved publications were also examined. The following article types that described data on the different types of direct and indirect bonding techniques in orthodontics were included: prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case-control studies and randomized controlled clinical trials (RCCTs). Two review authors independently assessed eligibility, extracted data, and ascertained the quality of the studies. Results: The search strategy initially resulted in 824 articles, and after a careful selection comprising the inclusion criteria, 12 articles were picked for the final review, specifically 2 cohort studies, 4 case-control studies and 6 RCCTs. The methodological quality was low in 4 studies, medium in 2, and high in 6 articles. Conclusion: The evidence currently available suggests that the use of computer-aided bonding is related to a reduction in treatment time and the number of appointments compared to direct and manual indirect bonding. However, the total bonding time for computer-aided bonding technique, including digital bracket placement, was longer than for direct bonding. Further high-quality RCTs on the differences between direct and indirect bonding are necessary to determine more precise data, as well as additional advantages and disadvantages
Dentoalveolar effects following maxillary expansion: Comparison between dental and skeletal anchorage
No full textObjective: To compare the dento-alveolar effects between dental and skeletal anchored expansion devices to achieve maxillary expansion in different groups of patients: pure dental anchorage was used in growing patients and skeletal anchorage in adult patients. Linear, angular and volumetric parameters have been analysed. Material and Methods: 22 patients has been selected from the total archive of patients treated in the Orthodontics Department of the University of Ferrara, Italy, divided into 3 groups according to the appliance used to obtain the transversal maxillary correction. Digital files of the upper arch were obtained from scans performed using an intro-oral scanner before treatment (T0) and at the end of expansion (T1). Therefore, linear, angular and volumetric measurements have been performed. Results: There is a highly significant statistic variation of the 3-3, 4-4 and 6-6 diameter as a function of time. There was a statistically significant variation of the palatal vault angle and of the 6-6 distance at the cusp level as a function of time. Moreover, it appears that these parameters are reduced in the group with skeletal anchored expander. No tooth considered have encountered a statistically significant change in tip and torque values, no matter the type of RPE and the treatment time. For all patients, we have recorded the superimposition of the maxillary dental cast before and after treatment. Conclusion: In all patients, we obtained a resolution of the maxillary transverse deficit. Patients treated by pure skeletal anchored devices have recorded a less variations of palatal vault angle and the distance between first molar cusps, as if the expansion was gained more parallel. The expansion obtained showed reduced dental side effects, as tip and torque values haven’t changed in a statistically significant way
Palatal skeletal anchorage: multiple applications with a single appliance
No full textUsing a single bone-borne maxillary appliance with twofold mechanics, that is, rapid palatal expander and nonfrictional distalizing appliance (Pendulum) is a valuable option to treat young-adult patients with poor compliance. In this particular case, the same appliance was used to disinclude 2.3, eliminating reaction forces on the arch. Therefore, the first expansive phase was followed by the distalizing phase. After enough space was obtained for the recovery of tooth 2.3, a triple-looped titanium-molybdenum alloy (TMA) spring was used to perform canine orthodontic traction. The core concept is that digital planning and optimal positioning of two palatal mini-screws can ensure a bicortical anchorage which, in turn, enabled to tolerate the different orthodontic phases. As a matter of fact, a tooth-bone-borne anchorage was followed by a pure bone-borne anchorage with no lost of stability
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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